Control devices for powered winches



May 1, 1962 F. PLUMETTAZ 3,032,321

CONTROL DEVICES FOR POWERED WINCHES Filed Jan. 3, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR WW BY 5W $5M ATTORNEYS May 1, 1962 F. PLUMETTAZ CONTROL DEVICES FOR POWERED WINCHES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 3, 1961 if Q INVENT ATTORNEYS y 1, 1962 F. PLUMETTAZ 3,032,321

CONTROL DEVICES FOR POWERED WINCHES Filed Jan. 3, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY 1M @4457? 5M ATTORNEYS May 1, 1962 F. PLUMETTAZ 3,032,321

CONTROL DEVICES FOR POWERED WINCHES Filed Jan. 3, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY *KW ATTORNEY United States Patent CONTROL DEVICES FOR POWERED WINCHES Fernand Plumettaz, Chemin J. Gallet, Bex, Switzerland,

assignor to Plumettaz S.A., Bex, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 80,300 Claims priority, application Switzerland Jan. 29, 1960 15 Claims. (Cl. 254-175) This invention relates to powered winches and panticularly to control devices for such winches.

One object of the invention is to provide a control device which will be reliable and convenient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a servocontrol device which will enable the operation of a power source (which may be an electric motor or an internal combustion engine for example) forming part of the winch in connection with which the device is used, to be controlled in response to variations in the tension in a rope, cable or the like (all referred to herein as rope) of the winch.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a powered winch adapted for fully automatic operation.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two exemplified embodiments of the winch according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment, the drum being at rest;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial section of a constructional detail;

FIG. 4 is a view of a plough intended to be driven by the winch illustrated;

FIG. 5 is a diagrarnamtic view of the first embodiment in a position of use;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line VIV1 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the first embodiment in another position of use;

FIG. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VH1 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partial diagrammatic view of the second embodiment.

The system illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 comprises an internal combustion engine 1 with a shaft 2 which by means of a clutch 3 and a reduction gear 4 is intended to drive a shaft 5 of a drum 6 which is intended to carry and operate a traction rope 7.

The clutch system 3 comprisessee FIG. 1-a disc 8 carried by the shaft 2 and with which there is adapted to engage a similar disc 9 which is movable longitudinally on a shaft 10 mounted on two bearings 11 and 12 fixed on a stand 16. The disc 9 has a sleeve 13 carrying an eyebolt 14 on which is pivoted a control rod 15, one of the ends of the latter being pivoted on a support 17 connected to the frame 18 of the engine 1, its other end being fixed to an element 19 of a linkage 20. One of the ends of a return spring 21, the other end of which bears against the bearing 11, presses against the sleeve 13 which is movable longitudinally on the shaft 10.

The reduction gear 4 comprises a pinion 22 with a sleeve 23 movable longitudinally on the shaft 10 and having an eyebolt 24 on which is pivoted a control rod 25. One of the ends of the latter is connected to a support 26 provided on the frame 18, its other end carrying a stud 27 which engages in a ring 28 provided at the end of the element 19 of the linkage 20, and a stud 29 engaging in a ring 30 of an element 31 of a linkage 32. Against the sleeve 23 presses a return spring 33, the other end of which bears against the bearing 12.

The pinion 22 is adapted to engage with a gearwheel 34 keyed on the shaft 5 which is mounted rotatably on the bearings 35, 36 and 37.

3,032,321 Patented May 1, 1962 the said pulley 43 and has one end 45 connected to an element 46 of the linkage 32, this end 45 being subjected to the action of a return spring 47 the other end of which is fixed to a support 135 which, together with the bearings 37, 41 and 42, is carried by the stand 16.

The shaft 2 of the engine 1 is supported by two bearings 130 and 131 connected to the frame 18 and carries a worm 132 engaging with a gearwheel 133 keyed on a shaft 134 mounted in a casing 48; the latter has an eccentric 49 keyed on the shaft 134 and intended to oscillate an operating lever 50 housed in the casing 48 and pivoted on a spindle 51; the latter, which is mounted on an arm 52 of a lever 53 having three other arms 54, 55, 56, carries a roller 57; at its end 62 the lever 50 has a finger 58 which is intended to engage with a projection 59 on a pawl 60 mounted rotatably on a spindle 61 fixed on the aforesaid arm 54, the said end 62 being connected by a return spring 63 to said arm 54; the latter is also connected by a return spring 64 to one of the ends of the pawl 60, the other end of the latter having a projection 65 bearing on a spring element constituted by a plate-spring 66 fixed on the arm 54. The lever 53 is pivoted on a spindle 67 fixed on a support 68 provided in the casing 48; the arm 56 of this lever 53 has a projection 69 intended to come into contact with a stop 70 of the casing 48, and is connected by a linkage 71, having the elements 72, 73, to one of the ends of a bent lever 74 pivoted on the spindle 75 of a return pulley 76 for the rope 7; the elements 72 and 73 are pivoted by means of two arms 176 and 177 on a support 78 provided on the stand 16. The other end of the bent lever 74 has a connecting rod 79, the free end of which has a buffer 80 in which the rope 7 is intended to move, the said rope being provided with a traction hook 136 and a stop 81 adapted to press against the buffer 80.

One of the ends of an element 82 of the linkage 20 is fixed on the end of the arm 55 of the lever 53, the elements 82 and 19 of said linkage 20 being respectively fixed on arms 83 and 84 pivoted on a support 85 connected to the casing 48.

A locking lever 86 with two branches 87 and 88 is also mounted rotatably on a spindle 89 in the said casing 48; the branch 88, which is curved at its end, is intended to engage with and disengage from the roller 57 carried by the arm 52 of the lever 53; its branch 87 connected by a return spring 90 to a support 91 provided in the casing 48 has at its end a stud 92 engaging in a ring 93 fixed on the end of an element 94 of the linkage 32; the latter also comprises in addition to the elements 46, 31 and 94, an element 95 which latter and the element 46 are respectively pivoted by means of two arms 96 and 97 on a support 98 joined to the stand 16; similarly, the element 31 and the element 46 are respectively pivoted by means of arms 99 and 100 on a support 101 joined to the stand 16; in addition, the elements 32 and 94 are pivoted by means of arms 102 and 103 on a support 104 joined to the casing 48. In the latter a control lever 105 is mounted rotatably on a spindle 106 carried by a support 107; said lever 105 subject to the action of a return spring 108 has at its free means of two arms 114 and 115 on a support 116 joined to the frame 48. @ne of the ends of a linkage 117 is also fixed on the lever 105, the said linkage having two elements 115 and 119 and its other end being fixed to a yoke 120, said elements 118 and 119 being pivoted by means of two arms 121 and 122 on a support 12-3 joined to the casing 48.

The yoke 120 pivoted on a spindle 124 mounted on a support 125 joined to the stand 16 is subjected to the action of a return spring 126 and is intended to move between two stops 127 and 128see FIG. 3carries a strap 150 by means of two arms 146 and 147 and two screws 148 and 149; the spindle 75 of the return pulley i6 is mounted on said strap.

The plough 161 shown in FIG. 4 has a beam 151 carrying a ploughshare 152, mouldboards 153, a front wheel 154 by means of an upright 155; on the latter is pivoted a lever 156, one of the ends of the latter carrying a bar 157 to which the hook 136 of the rope 7 can be fixed, the other end of the lever 156 being connected by a linkage 158 to an operating arm 159; the latter is pivoted on the beam 151 and is intended to move opposite a gear sector 160 fixed on said beam and to engage with the said gear sector.

When the engine 1 is operating, the system shown in FIGS. 1-8 is used to operate theplough 161 in the following manner:

The clutch 3 being disengaged and the reduction gear 4 being in the neutral position, see FIGS. 1 and 2, the rope 7 is moved by the user in the direction of the arrow 137 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6) by means of the plough 161; the butter 81 then ceases to urge the ring 80, and the rope 7 reverses the drum 6 and also the brake pulley 43 which is joined to it; the rod 45 of the brake 44 is then moved in the direction of the arrow 138, the spring 47 being stretched and the linkage 32 moving in the direction of the arrow 139; as a result, the ring 30 bears against the stud 29 while keeping the reduction gear 4 in the neutral position, and the ring 93 drives the lever 86 in the direction of the arrow 140 (FIG. by means of the stud 92; the branch 88 of the lever 86 frees the lever 53 which simultaneously by means of the linkage 20 moving in the direction of the arrow 141 and of the rod frees the spring 2-1 thus engaging the clutch 3; the ring 28 of the linkage moves with the latter. In this position of the various elements as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the user may unwind the rope 7 to the desired length, the rope being stretched slightly so as to overcome the resistance of the spring 47 of the brake 44. When it has reached the end of its travel in the direction of the arrow 137, the user then moves the hook 136 of the rope 7 through a certain length in the opposite direction to the arrow 137 by means of the arm 159 of the plough 161; simultaneously, the spring 47 by means of the brake 44 rotates the drum 6 through a certain angle in the direction of winding of the rope 7 and, secondly, moves the linkage 32 in the opposite direction to the arrow 139, FIGS. 5 and 6; since the rod is then freed as a result of the movement of the ring 30, it engages the reduction gear 4 under the action of the spring 33. At that moment, the drum 6 driven by the slow-running engine 1 exerts a pull on the plough 161 by means of the rope 7; the return pulley 76 is then moved in the direction of the arrow 137 with the strap 150 and the yoke 120 pivoting about the spindle 124; as a result of this rotation of the yoke 120 the spring 126 is stretched and the linkage 117 is moved in the direction of the arrow 143, FIGS. 5 and 6, and drives the lever 105 in the direction of the arrow 144; at the same time, the spring 163 stretches, the gear sector 109 engages with the spring 66 and the linkage 110 opens the carburettor of the engine 1, FIGS. 7 and 8; the engine then operates at the working speed and by means of the rope 7 drives the plough 161 in the opposite direction to the arrow 137.

When the rope drive 7 has to he suddenly stopped during operation, it is only necessary to slacken the rope for a moment, by unlocking the lever 159 from the plough 161 which moves in the direction of the arrow 162. At the same time, the spring 126, FIGS. 7 and 8, moves the linkage 117 in the opposite direction to the arrow 143 (FIGS. 5 and 6) by means of the yoke 120, and trees the lever 105, which, under the action of the spring 108, drives the plate-spring 66; the latter then presses against the projection 65 of the pawl 60 and causes the latter to pivot on the spindle 61 so that the projection 59 engages with the finger 58 of the oscillating lever 50; the latter in this position then being rigidly connected to the lever 53 the latter is moved about its spindle 67 by the lever 50 which is subject to the action of the continuously turning eccentric 49; as a result, this lever 53 which on the one hand drives the linkage 20 disengages the clutch 3 and sets the reduction gear 4 to neutral and, on the other hand, moves the spring 66 and frees the gear sector 109 and hence the lever which, under the action of the spring 108, partially closes the carburettor of the engine 1, which then assumes slow-running speed by means of the linkage at the same time, the arm 52 of the lever 53 engages with the branch 88 of the lever 86.

The engine 1 then being disengaged and the reduction gear 4 being in the neutral position, if it is desired to drive the plough 161 again it is only necessary to move the end of the rope 7 for a short length in the direction of the arrow 137 by means of the lever 159 so as to tension the spring 47, and then move the end of the rope 7 in the opposite direction to the arrow 137 by means of the lever 159, the winch elements illustrated then resuming the same position as on the previously indicated starting operation.

When the stop 81 of the rope 7 presses the butter 80 connected to the connecting rod 79 at the end of its travel, the said connecting rod moves the bent lever 74 and, by means of the latter, the linkage 71 in the direction of the arrow the latter drives the lever 53 about its spindle 67 and hence drives the linkage 20 in the opposite direction to the arrow 141, thus disengaging the engine 1 and setting the reduction gear 4 to neutral, while the branch 88 of the lever 86 simultaneously engages with the arm 52 of the lever 53; at the same time, the platespring 66 frees the sector 109 and the lever 105 which, under the action of the spring 108, moves the linkage 110 and effects partial closure of the carburettor of the engine 1, which then assumes the slow-running speed.

The second embodiment of the system partially shown in FIG. 9 includes all the components and elements of the system shown in FIGS. 1-8 and operates in the same way; on the other hand, the stand 16 of the drum 6 also carries by means of a support 164 a pivoted lever 165, one of the ends of the latter being fixed on a platform 166 hearing on the ground while its other end is connected by a linkage 167 to the pawl 60 with two projections 59 and 65.

The stand 16 intended to be fixed on the ground by means of spade-lik elements 168, carries the drum 6 by means of uprights 169 and the return pulley 76 by means of the yoke 120.

When the tractive force exerted on the drum 6 exceeds a certain limit, the drum begins to swing in the direction of the arrow 171i and at the beginning of this movement the lever which bears on the ground by means of the platform 166 pivots on the support 164 while driving the linkage 167 in the direction of the arrow 171, As a result, the pawl 60 pivots on its axis 61 so that the projection 59 engages with the finger 53 of the lever 56; in these conditions, the lever 53 is rigidly connected to the lever 50 which is subject to the action of the eccentric 49; it follows that when this lever 53 pivots about its spindle 67 it drives firstly the linkage 20 producing disengagement of the engine 1 and the setting of th reduction gear 4 to neutral and, secondly, moves the spring 66, which frees the sector 109 and hence the lever 105 which, under the effect of the spring 108, partially closes the carburettor of the engine 1 by means of the linkage 110; in consequence, the tractive force exerted on the rope 7 is cancelled as is also the force tending to swing the drum 6 in the direction of the arrow 170.

In a modified embodiment, provision is made for the drum 6 to be driven either by an electric motor or by a diesel engine.

Provision is also made for the lever 53 of the coupling element to be replaced by a plurality of levers, for example four, which are keyed on the spindle 67 and fixed in the casing 48, and the linkages 20, 32, 71, 110, 117 to be replaced by other connecting elements, and for the brake 44 to be fixed on the drum 6.

From the foregoing description of the various embodiments of this invention, it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Control device for a powered winch comprising: a rotary drum, a traction rope operatively engaged with said drum so that said rope is wound and unwound by rotation of said drum and drive means for the drum including a power source, a clutch and variable reduction gearing, a servo-control device comprising a displaceable guide pulley bearing against said rope, a movably mounted buffer relatively to which said rope is movable, a stop carried by said rope and adapted to engage said movable buffer to displace the latter, an operating member adapted to be actuated in its operating movement by said power source, locking means engageable and disengageable in response to movement of said drum to lock and to release said operating member and coupling means operatively connecting said operating member with said clutch, said reduction gearing, said movable buffer and said displaceable pulley, whereby when said power source is operative, said clutch and said reduction gearing are actuated automatically in response to variation in the tension in said rope, means being provided to effect disengagement of said drive means automatically, upon said tension exceeding a pre-determined value.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 further including internal combustion engine means operatively connected to said drum, fuel supply control means operatively connected to said internal combustion engine means, said operating member being operatively connected with said fuel supply control means.

3. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said operating member comprises a pivotable lever, an eccentric driven by said power source being provided to oscillate said lever.

4. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes a turnable member and linkage connecting said turnable member with said clutch, reduction gearing, movable buffer and displaceable pulley, said operating member being pivotally mounted on said turnable member.

5. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said buffer is shaped for sliding engagement with said rope.

6. The combination defined in claim 1, including a pivotable mounting element for said pulley and a biassing spring for said mounting element, said coupling means being connected to said pulley-mounting element.

7. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes a turnable member having four radial arms and linkage means connecting two of said arms with said clutch and reduction gearing and with said displaceable pulley respectively, said operating member being mounted on a third one of said arms and latching means for said operating member being mounted on the fourth one of said arms, said latching means being operable to engage said operating member to render it rigid with said turnable member.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 including internal combustion engine means operatively connected to said drum, fuel supply control means operatively connected to said internal combustion engine means and resilient connecting means for actuating said fuel supply control means in response to turning movement of said turnable member.

9. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes a turnable member, linkage means connecting said turnable member with said displaceable pulley to effect turning movement of said turnable member in response to displacement of said pulley, and latching means mounted on said turnable member, said operating member being pivotally mounted on said turnable member and said latching means being engage-i able and disengageable in response to displacement of said pulley, to render said operating member rigid with said turnable member and to release it, respectively.

10. The combination defined in claim 7, wherein said linkage means includes a link connecting said turnable member with said clutch and said variable reduction gearing, to operate said clutch and reduction gearing, and a lost-motion connection interposed between said link and said reduction gearing.

11. The combination defined in claim 1, including a friction device responsive to rotation of said drum and linkage means, including a lost-motion connection, connecting said friction device with said clutch and said variable reduction gearing.

12. The combination defined in claim 4, including a friction device responsive to rotation of said drum and linkage means connecting said friction device with said locking means to engage and disengage the latter, so as to lock and to release said operating member and said turnable member.

13. The combination defined in claim 1, including drumsupporting means yieldable under the effect of tension in said rope in excess of a certain value and linkage means connecting said drum-supporting means with said coupling means, to actuate said coupling means in response to such yielding movement.

14. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said coupling means includes a member mounted for turning movement about a spindle.

15. A powered winch having a rotary drum, a traction rope operatively engaged with said drum so that said rope is wound and unwound by rotation of said drum, drive means for the drum including a power source having speed control means, a clutch and variable reduction gearing, a turnably mounted coupling member, a movable operating lever carried by said coupling member, means actuating said lever in its operating movement from said power source, a movably mounted buffer relatively to which said rope is movable, a stop carried by said rope and adapted to engage said movable buffer to displace the latter during movement of said rope relatively thereto, linkage means connecting said coupling member with, on the one hand, said clutch and said reduction gearing and, on the other hand, said buffer, a resilient actuating element carried by said coupling member, a pivotal control lever actuated in its pivoting movement by said resilient actuating element, a guide pulley bearing against said rope, yieldable pulley-supporting means, linkage means connecting said control lever with, on the one hand, said pulley-supporting means and, on the other hand, said speed-control means, a pawl adapted to be operated by said resilient actuating element to latch said operating member relatively to said coupling member, locking means adapted to lock said operating lever against movement, a friction device actuable by rotation of said drum and linkage means operatively connecting said fric- 2 tion device with-said operating leveiythe whole being so arranged that when the engine is operating, engagement and disengagementof said clutch, actuation of said variable reduction gearing and actuation of said speed control means are automatically controlledby means of said a rope, means being provided to efiect disengagement of said drivemeans automatically upon said tension exceeding a pre-determined value.

No references cited. 

